On Easter Island there seem to be some changes in the
vocal sounds, compared to what is standard Polynesian
pronounciation. Instead of Atua there is Otua, i.e. the vowel 'a' correspond to 'o' (at least in this instance). Another example is the name of the rongorongo tablet called Aruku Kurenga. According to Fischer the name was given by bishop Jaussen's (on Tahiti) household staff, people from Easter Island: "...the name probably breaks down into rapanui 'a Roko ko Renga, or 'of Roko the Fair'..." This person was evidently 'ariki (chief) and died in 1898. "The tablet might once have belonged to a Roko of Tongariki. This Roko might have been a script expert; however, no tuhunga taa of this name has been recorded. The rapanui u/o alternation has doubtless produced the allophonic variant Ruku, a common rapanui linguistic phenomenon." |